Apocalypse- for a mining town

[Poem originally written for and submitted in Miki's competition "Apocalypse"]


she spoke in apocalytic tone
she was though not alone
her elders told her stories
inglorious end to glories

a booming mining town
once stood above a deposit
river of riches runs
under the earth, they mine it

so the hustle and bustle lasted
stream after stream they blasted
businesses mushroomed
hotels with many roooms

where's the apocalypse they asked
under a glorious sun they basked
she smiled then yelled out the rant
said idea they have scant

of the horror that's looming
so far you only saw town it's booming
what goes up, come down a must
every booming town's heading for a bust

no earth moved no skies burst
rivers of wine quenched miners' thirst
far beyond the town events were unfolding
commodity exchanges were dumping all holdings

demand from growing nations fell like death knell
supplies were in glut so the pricess duly fell
mercantile exchange first to bear the brunt
speculators aside pundits were also burnt

The couple of mines of the town
they are as good as gold
we'll be friggin diggin' till sundown
the poor miners were told

suddenly the mining companies
found  themselves in red
the banks would give credit no more
with speculators they were in bed

workers who turned up
found the mine shut
were told by higher ups
of minerals there's a a glut

panic struck the town
people were in streets
rumours were abound
even the limps were on their feet

morning headlines read
Apolcalypse has ushered
companies are dead
everybody has suffered

No money in the banks
no petrol in the tanks
were now chasing the dogs
who once threw lamb shanks

The only road to salvation
was the route of desert migration
from a remote desert oasis
that's a wishful imagination

The old lady now
was nowhere to be seen
when left didn't raise a brow
for her it's an old scene

Apocalypse had arrived
with no skies burst
no earthquakes happened
just pure hunger and thirst

those who had the luck
paid some big bucks
piled up on wagons, buses
even the old cattle trucks

the old lady now stands
alone in the desert sands
why you smile now grandma
asked a toddler by her side

touching the earth she replied
apocalypse had arrived
forgot to plan for future
the fools when they thrived

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